Council wins court ban on illegal encampments

A council has successfully applied for a court order which bans members of Gypsy and traveller communities from camping in part of its area.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, in Hampshire, was granted a one-year renewal of a High Court injunction.

Previous bans have greatly reduced unlawful encampments in the area, while neighbouring boroughs without injunctions have seen an increase, the court was told.

However, Kirsty Brimelow KC, sitting as a deputy judge, said the borough was not meeting the needs of Gypsies and travellers and should reconsider a decision not to provide them with a transit site.

In her written judgement, Ms Brimelow said: "A transit site would satisfy anxiety of Gypsies and travellers that they might be moved from whenever they stop in the borough."

The injunction, lasting until 3 April 2026, was granted against "persons unknown", who were not represented in court.

It covers the town of Basingstoke, as well as rural areas around Bramley, Silchester and Tadley Common.

Previous injunctions in Basingstoke and also in Test Valley have deterred encampments and gave police enhanced powers of arrest, the court was told.

However, in neighbouring areas without injunctions, the problem had escalated, the judge heard.

Reading in Berkshire currently had 59 unauthorised encampments, police told the court.

Giving evidence, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council said it feared the return of previous problems involving untreated human faeces in fields, intimidation of residents, noise and financial harm.

It acknowledged that anti-social behaviour was not representative of the Gypsy and traveller community.

The authority said it was updating its local plan, calling for new sites.

In September 2024, the borough approved a "negotiated stopping policy", tolerating encampments on council-owned land on a case-by-case basis.

Ms Brimelow renewed the injunction, covering 10% of the borough where encampments would be "especially harmful".

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